Edwaed m



(No Model.) E. M. BENTLEY 8v W. H. KNIGHT.

ELECTRIC WAY.

Patented May' l, 1883.

NA PETERS. PhuwLnhagnpher. washmgtun. D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT Genion..

EDWARD M. BENTLEY AND VALTER H. KNIGHT, OF WASHINGTON, D. C.

ELECTRIC WAY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 276,757, dated May 1,1883.

Application tiled March 31, 1883. (No model.)

.To all, whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, EDWARD M. BENT- LEY and WALTER I-I. KNIGHT, ot'lWashington. District of Columbia, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Electric Ways, ot' which the followingis aspeciiication.

Our invention consists in a system ot' electric conductors forming anelectric way wherein wires of different classes can be run in the sameconduit, or within inductive proximity ot' one another, and still be insubstantially mutual inductive independence.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a diagram of two conductors inmutual antiinductive relation. Fig.2 represents a method ot' laying thedifferent classes ot' conductors in different parts of the street. Fig.3 shows a convenient means forintroducing additional conductors. Fig. 4is a perspective view, showing' the arrangement at the junction-box.Fig. 5 shows a yielding connection between two sections ot' conductors.Fig. 6 illustrates by a partial perspective the mode oi crossing theconductors. Fig. 7 is a side elevation, showing the manner of bringing`the telephone or telegraph wires to the surface at the `innetion-box.

We represent herein conductors of threedifferentclasses-viz.,electric-light, telephone, and telegraphconductors, the latter including tire, district, printing, and all othertelegraphs, and the light-wires being also used for the transmission ot'power, and for other desirable purposes.

In Fig. l, A A' represent the direct and return wires of a completemetallic circuit, pret'- erably a light-circuit, and T T representneighboring conductors. A A are situated in thesame plane and cross eachother at intervals, so that the positive and negative wires exchangepositions, the positive wire taking up a position in a line which isacontinuatiou of the previous section of negative wire, and vice versa.It will thus be seen that any neighboring wires, as T T, in any positionparallel to A A, will be subject to equal and opposite induction,provided they pass along an even number ot' sections of A A. TT may beeither telephone or telegraph wires, preferably telephone-wires, and ifa third class ot' wires be brought into the vicinity it will only benecessary to render them independent of T T. This may be done byproviding acoinmon return for them, as is shown and claimed in anapplication tiled March 27, 1883, or by inserting a metallic shieldbetween them, as is set forth and claimed in an application of the sainedate. These various classes ot` wires may be all in the same conduit, asin said applications, and as shown in Fig. 4, or the different classesbe put in different parts of the street.

In Fig. 2 the light-wires and through telegraph-wires are shown in aconduit inthe iniddle of the street, while the telephone and localtelegraph wires are at the side, ,i ust inside the curb. A light-wire isshown taken out to the side ot' the street from the central conduit. Inany ease the wires should be crossed at intervals, preferably at thejnnction-boxes,which are situated at convenient distances apart alongthe line. Fig. Li shows such a junctionbox with the light-wires crossedand the telephone-wires brought individually to a common surface at thetop of the box by means ot a connection-board made u p ot' transversesticks of wood woven in among the wires in a similar manner to thatshown in one of the above-mentioned applications. The lightwires occupythe center of the conduit in a vertical line from top to bottom, thesets of positive and negative wires A and A each emerging from thesection oi' conduit l) into the junctioubof; iu two vertical rows oneither side.

Between the two central rows, one ol' which, of course, is positive andthe other negative wires, a square stick, D, ot' wood or other suitablelnaterial, is placed obliquely in the vertical plane of the conduit,from the upper to the opposite lower corner oi' the junction-box, and

each pair of wires A A is brought out into thebox until they come to thestick B, one on each side ofthe stick. Each wire then takes a half turnaround the stick, (sce Fig. 6,) one, A, going obliquely across the undersurface oi' B to the edge, and then up at an angle to the edge, to thediagonally-opposite edge from which it started, and thence on in theline ot direction ot' A. The other wire, A', is lirst bent up at anangle to B, andthence obliquely across the IOC upper surface to thediagonally-opposite edge from which it started, and then goes on intothe next section in the line of direction of wire A. At a point lowerdown on B the next pair of wires A A cross each other by-being bent,respectively, over and under B in like manner. It will be seen that thepairs ot` wires will be laid over B in an orderly manner, so that theywill be readily accessible and a certain distance maintained betweeneach pair ot' wires. For the next two rows of wires tour small sticks,C, are placed parallel to B, one ata short radial distance from eachcorner, so that the four form a square frame inclosing B and concentricand symmetrical with it. The two outer rows of wires, A A', are thenbent by pairs around this skeleton stick, just as the inner rows werebent around the inner solid stick, B. When rods are used for conductors,as in the present incandescent systems, it will be necessary 'to provideyielding connections to allow for the expansion and contraction of therods under varying temperature. In Fig. 5, A and A are conductors ot' acircuit, insulated and supported in any convenient way. At points ofjunction these conductors cross each other, and are connected by meansof the curved spring-strips E E. These strips serve a triple function,being electrical connections holding` the two conductors at the properdistance apa-rt while crossing', and also allowing for expansion andcontraction of A A. Existing systems, where connections of this kind areused, can be rendered anti-inductive to all external conductors bysimply crossing the connections at each junction-box, so that thepositive and negative conductors occupy reversed positions in successivesections.

The manner of bringing` all the wires ofa system normally occupying acrosssection ot' two dimensions to a common surface is illustrated inFigs. 11 and 7. A number of triangular sticks,F, are laid just above thewires in a horizontal plane, parallel and close to each other andtransverse to the line-wires. The successive wires T in each verticalrow are brought up and bent, respectively, over the successive sticks F.They are then brought down again t0 the proper level for continuing`their course into the next section in a straight line, their relativehorizontal position being-maintained by bendingthem again around sticksF. This arrangement forms a connection-board made up ot transversesticks and wires woven together, and presenting wicker-work-likesurface. The sticks are held in place by the wires, and all the linesare brought to the surface in a systematic way.

In Fig. et the telegraph-wires are shown on the opposite side of theiight-wires from the telephone-wires. They may be run in anti-inductivecables; or the mass of metal of the light-wires may be relied upon as aninductive shield to protect thc two classes oi wires from each other.

"We have shown the, lower portion ot' the space for telegraph-wiresoccupied by cables containing through lines. The upper part is iilled orpartly filled with local wires laid in insulating-strips.- These may bebrought up tothe surface like the telephone-wires, and others added asthe needs ot' the service require.

Fig. 3 shows the most convenient way ofintroducing new conductors,orinsulating-strips iilled with conductors, or grooved for theirsubsequent reception. The whole or part ot' a section, G, between twojunction-boxes is left open or accessible, while the rest of thesections are permanently covered up. To put in new conductors or newholders, the section G- is opened, and then conducting-rods, groovedboards, or other rigid objects can be laid down in G and passed throughsucceeding sections, from one junctionbox to another, until the entireconduit-space is filled.

It is to be understood that all matter herein shown or described but notclaimed is not hereby abandoned to the public, but is re served forfuture applications.

What we desire to claim in this application as our invention is.d

l. The combination, with an external con ductor, of the direct andreturn conductors oi' an electric circuit, said direct and return con"ductors exchanging their lineal positions at intervals.

2. The combination, with an external conductor, of a pair ofinductively-opposing sections of the direct and return conductors ot anelectric circuit, the direct and return conductors in said sectionsbeing in the same plane.

3. The combination of the direct and return conductors of an electriccircuit, said conductors crossing each other at sectional points, andeach section having' a corresponding inductively-opposing section in thesaine plane.

4. The combination ofthe direct and return conductors ct'anelectric-light circuit, said conductors crossing each other at sectionalpoints, each section being in one plane and having a correspondinginductively-opposing section in the same plane.

5. In an electric way dividedinto longitudi* nal sections, thecombination of the direct and return conductors of a metallic circuitand a portion of another circuit, the wires all ruiming substantiallyparallel throughout each section, and the direct and return conductorscrossing` each other at the ends of the sections, so as to interchangetheir lineal positions, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

6. In an electric way divided into longitudinal sections, thecombination ot the direct and return conductors of a metallic circuit,Acrossing each other at the ends ofthe sections, with a portion ot'another' circuit extending the distance of an even number of sectionsalong the way, for the purpose set forth.

7. The combination, with a number ot' permanently-closed sections of anelectric way, separated by junction-boxes, et' an open or accessiblesection extending between two junc- IOS tion-boxes for the introductionof dnctors or wire-holders.

3. The combination, with two electric conductors crossing each other,butnot comin g in contact nor in comparatively close proximity, of aseparating-stick, each of the two conductors making?I a half-turn aroundthe stick.

9. The combination, with a series of pairs of electric conductors, ofthe oblique stick B, the pairs of conductors crossing each other atsuccessive points of the stick.

l0. The combination, with stick B and cond uctors arranged thereon, ofan external frame and conductors similarly arranged upon it.

11. The combination, with wires in layers, of transverse bars in asingle surface, the successive layers of Wires being` looped over thesuccessive bars, so as to be brought to the sin-v gle surface.

rigid oon- 12. The combination oi' wires T and bars F and F',substantially as described.

13. The combination of electric wires in a conduit in the center of thestreet with wires of different classes arranged at the sides of thestreet in anti-inductive relation to the central wires.

14. The combination of conductors AA and curved or bent expansiblecrossed connectors E E', uniting` the conductors of one section with thediagonally-opposite conductors ofthe next section.

EDVARD M. BENTLEY. VALTER H. KNIGHT.

Witnesses:

C. N. IMLAN, W. B. MAGRAUDER.

